Fitting In or Standing Out Revised
by Slytherin-Faerie.Princess
Summary: The War has ended and many lives have been changed, none more so then Hermione Granger's, or rather Leo Zabini. Find out what happens when she isn't who everyone thought she was. Her enemies become allies and she falls for the person she thought she hated most. HG/DM M for swearing and smut in later chapters, please read A/N inside before reading.
1. Leonada Zabini?

**A/N: This story is not mine, this plot belongs to Dededpopop. She wrote a few chapters and i fell in love with the plot, unfortunately, she no longer wanted to continue and was deleting it. I contacted her and we came to an agreement, i may revise the chapters she has already done and continue on with the story as i wish as long as she has input on all chapters and the rights remain hers. **

**The following chapter is mainly by her, some parts are revised. If you have read her story before you will notice some of the changes. **

**All thoughts are in _Italics_ and the thought point of view changes between Hermione/Draco. This is my first multy-chapter story, i hope to so it justice. Please review! **

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Hermione Granger wasn't an ordinary girl; she was a witch. She classed herself as an average girl in looks, not gorgeous but she wasn't ugly either. She had bushy brown hair, deep chocolate-brown eyes and not much of a figure. But that was all going to change.

The sun had slowly started rising and most people would still be dreaming silently in their slumber, but not Hermione. She was sitting on her windowsill clutching a piece of paper, crying. She pressed her forehead against the window watching the rain fall freely, it felt cool to her hot wet face. She felt as if her life were a movie, and secretly, she was hoping it was. She wished the screen would go black, the credits could roll, the lights could go up, and life would go back to normal. '_At least as normal as my strange life can be_.' she thought with a watery smile. Unfortunately she was stuck in a harsh reality and that things were never going to be the same.

Ministry of Magic

Secret hiding protection system

Current Name ~ Leonada Antoinette Maria Mia Zabini

Parents Names~ Maria Antoinette Zabini nee Nieves (Mother)

Anthony Donovan Zabini (Father)

Sibling/s Name~ Blaise Anthony Donovan Zabini (Twin Brother)

Miss Zabini will be put into protection for reasons that will not be discussed till further notice. She shall be under protection by two muggles who have been fully noted on the situation at hand.

Protection Parents Name~ Jean Granger

Simon Granger

Miss Zabini shall be known as Hermione Jean Granger.

A Glamour Charm will be placed over Miss Zabini to hide her true identity and it shall remove itself on her 17th birthday and her true parents will return and explain all that has happened.

Note: If Miss Zabini is to find out about this situation before her 17th birthday her Glamour charm will automatically be removed and her true parents will be notified and appear at the closest time necessary.

Signed

John Paul Montgomery

Head of Protection

Ministry of Magic

Every time Hermione read the letter she would begin to cry again. '_What the hell? I'm not Hermione Granger? My whole life was a giant lie. I need answers and by the gods I'm going to get them!_' her mind raged. '_Wait the letter said if she found out before her birthday_,' she checked her clock, 9:30, she had spent the entire night crying. Today marked exactly three months until her 17th Birthday.

Hermione heard talking and crying coming from downstairs and she instantly felt sick. That feeling was replaced by a sharp, shooting pain throughout her body. She held in her screams because she knew this pain was nothing compared to the torture what she went through at Malfoy Manor under the wand and knife of Bellatrix Lestarnge. When the pain subsided she felt something different about herself. She stood on shaky legs and made her way to her mirror on the back of her bathroom door. She was shock at what she saw.

Her appearance had changed drastically, gone where her boring colored eyes and in there place was a pair of perfectly almond-shaped dream like sapphire eyes that could put anyone in a trance. Out with her ghostly pale skin and in with a golden goddess-like olive skin tone. Her hair, once bush and brown, was now as black as night, straight as an arrow, and reached all the way down her back brushed against her hips, right where her belt-loops where. It had a beautiful sheen to it, as if her hair had been kissed by the shining sun. Her height had changed from her lanky 5 foot 10 frame to an almost comfortable 5 foot 5.

The biggest change she noticed about herself was that her bra and knickers no longer fit, not be a long shot. Her chest was about twice as big as before, and her buttocks was full and round now. '_Holy shit! I have tits! I must be a C cup, at the least. And my ass, its bigger to! I finally have an hour-glass figure!_' she thought, her eyes showed her delight. Her whole new physic was perfect; she had a toned core, shapely legs, perfect curves, and a bit of muscle to her arms.

The muffled voices from downstairs grew louder and she snapped out of her reverie. She may like the way she looked but why was this change happening now and why she had to change in the first place has yet to be explained? '_That's it, I'm pissed!_' her mind screamed. She stormed down the stairs and straight into the Grangers sitting room where she heard talking. The moment she walked into the room her heart stopped and she froze.

Not only were the Grangers there, but there was also a beautiful and glamorous women with long black straight hair, high cheek bones, and a figure to die for. Next to her was a tall, buff, olive skin man with dark curly hair. '_Oh gods, they must be my biological parents, and the guy next to them, that's Blaise Zabini. Oh shit! He is my twin brother._' she thought. When she thought things couldn't get any worse she took notice of the three people she wished she'd never have to see again; Lucius, Narcissa and Draco Malfoy, dressed in their best.

She closed her eyes and took a deep, calming breath. When she opened them, her eyes seemed to glow with the intensity of her magic and rage. Jagged lightning bolts sparked and cracked around her body and she tried to stay calm. She took one last breath while looking straight at the woman who claimed to be her mother her whole life, then screamed "What the Fuck?"

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**I honestly hate the idea that Hermione is a prude and a goody-goody. Her best friends are BOYS! There is no way she is prude lol and she is always in danger so she can't be a goody-goody, she just doesn't get caught ;)**

**Review!**


	2. True Identity

**A/N: Again this is mainly her work with some tidbits from me. I find this chapter funny as hell but that might just be me...**

**So we get a look see into Draco's mind...kind scared to know what his gutter brain is thinking ;)**

**Review!**

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Draco Malfoy rarely showed shock, but, when Hermione stepped into the room there was no other way to describe the look on his face. Why shouldn't he be shocked? He was staring at the most beautiful female he had ever seen, and worse yet, she is Hermione Granger, or at least she was. He couldn't tell if it was her hair, curves, skin or her face that made her so beautiful, but dam! The fact that this girl was the same Hermione Granger he had made fun of all these years hard for to wrap my head around and he was starting to get a headache just thinking about it. It didn't help that she was standing there wearing only a pair of mini shorts and a now very tight vest top. They showed the outline of each curve, meaning she looked like any man's midnight fantasy.

"Draco, mind your eyes!" scolded the harsh tone of Lucius Malfoy "What have I told you about staring?!" That was the moment that he realized that He, the famous 'Slytherin sex god' Draco Malfoy, was staring at the post 'mud-blood bookworm know-it-all' Hermione Granger. '_Shit! Look down, look down, look down!_' he thought quickly when Hermione glanced at him. He could feel a deep blush spread across his face and tried to cover up the awkward moment with a nervous cough.

"Mum…Oh wait, calling you that would be a lie!" Hermione said with her eyes narrowed on the person that he could only assume was her adoptive mother. '_Gods, I would not want to be her right now. I faced a pissed off Granger once, my nose hurt for a week afterwards._' he thought with a slight smirk. "Right then, Mrs. Granger I have a little funny feeling you have some explaining to do." she continued in a sarcastic tone while shaking the piece of paper which held the truth about herself in her adopted mother's face. Everyone could see the Slytherin in her start to unleash itself. _'Damn! Slytherin's a hot look on her! Shit, better not think like that, other wise I'm gunna need a cold shower when this is over.'_ Draco thought belatedly.

Mrs. Granger took a sharp breath and started to explain everything. "You see dear… around the time you were born every female girl was killed after birth because the Dark Lord wished so. His power was at his highest and he felt that women where a distraction and annoyance him and his Death Eaters. He also though that they brought hope among those who fought him. Your family and friends thought it would be for the best to put you under protection until the Dark Lord had been killed, permanently. Your birth family, the Zabini's, stayed neutral through both wars and hid so Voldemort wouldn't find them or you. We thought it best for you to be hidden in plain sight, although none of us ever expected you to become Harry Potter's best friend and be on the front lines of the war that we tried to hide you from." As Mrs. Granger finished everyone was looking at Hermione for her reaction.

Hermione was looking at her with a deep frown on her face. Then she looked past her pseudo mother and at us. "Why are you here?" she asked. Lucius looked at Draco and Narcissa then turned to the Zabibis. Maria, Hermione's real mother, was still staring at new found daughter and Anthony, her father, was looking Lucius. He gave him a slight nod to continue. Lucius took a deep breath, closing his eyes as he did so, before turning to Hermione. While stepping forward he said "The reason that we are here is because Narcissa and I are your godparents and Draco is accompanying your family to Zabini Manor after this meeting."

She blinked at us then nodded her head slowly. She then looked at the Zabini's once again. "You are my real family then?" she asked. Maria stepped forward, tiers running down her face. "Yes. I am you mother Maria," she motioned to Anthony, "this is your father Anthony," and to Blaise, "and you probably recognize your twin brother Blaise from school. We have been waiting so long to finally meet you again." she said with a sob. Hermione nodded, her eyes never leaving her mothers. "What happens now?" she asked. _'Shit, here it comes…._' Draco thought.

Everyone stilled and the room seemed to hold its breath. After several minutes of waiting Anthony stepped towards his daughter. "Honey, your going to have to make a choice. Do you wish to come home to Zabini Manor and officially become a Zabini and a pure-blood, or do you want to stay with the Grangers. You would get your glamour charm back and live the rest of your life as a muggle-born. We will all forget about this day and never know of your real identity."

_'The bitch will probably stay. She as to much against pure-bloods to ever want to become one._' Draco thought darkly. '_To bad she will loose her looks, shame to waist something so pretty. Pretty? when did i start thinking of her as pretty?_' he panicked.

She stared at everyone in the room, meeting their eyes one at a time. When she met Draco's he made a show of looking her up and down with a nod and winked at her, showing her that he has no issues with her new look or role in the world.

She lifted an eyebrow at him and her lip twitched. She then looked back at her father and asked quietly, "May I have a moment alone in my room please?" Not waiting for an answer she spun on her heel and ran out of the room. Several seconds later a door slammed shut. All the occupants of the sitting room took a collective breath that no one realized was being held.

Seconds later Blaise and Draco heard a muffled scream and gave each other knowing look. They silently made there way up to Hermione's room while the parents were talking about the possible outcomes of this situation. Draco opened the door to her room without knocking to see her delicate figure of in the middle of what could only be described as a temper tantrum on her bed.

'_Ha! She is more pureblood than she knows_!' he thought with a smirk. He looked at Blaise who just shrugged his shoulders. They both have had been experience with tantrums, but, normally they were the ones throwing them.

"Come on…errr…Sis. Everything will be okay. Come home with us, Mum has been dying to have you back in our lives. Plus we have a huge library, so life's not all bad." Blaise said in an attempt to calm her down. His voice cracked a little giving away the discomfort he was in. _'Wow, that was shit. I bet I know how to get a rise from her. I've always been the best at getting under her skin._' Draco thought.

"Awwww come on now Granger what's so bloody bad about being one of us? It's not like we bite or anything. Unless you're just scared shitless. That's it isn't it? The Great Gryfindor Princess is scared!" he chuckled. '_There! We should get a response from that. The chit hates being called scared._' he smirked inward. Hermione snapped up off the bed, wand pointed at Draco's face with a snarl on her own. '_Oh Shit! To far! To far!_' he panicked. One minute Draco Malfoy was standing in the middle of her bedroom staring at her wand, the next he was blasted through the floor landing on his back with a thud behind the sitting room sofa. He could hear screams of surprise from the three sets of parents and the deep rumbling laughter of his best friend Blaise.

Moaning from the pain he lifted himself onto his elbows and looked at the hole in the ceiling he had just fallen through. '_Fuck that hurt_!' He got up off the floor using the back of the sofa and looked at the six adults all staring at him in shock and he gave them a sheepish grin. "Draco! What in the world…." Narcissa started only to catch a glimpse of the seething Hermione and a chuckling Blaise in the entryway. _'I'm fucked, I am so royally fucked!_' his mind screamed at him. He started to back away from her but she stepped right after him.

"You have some nerve Draco Malfoy, to call me scared! I survived a bloody fucking war, on the front lines, against the worst Death Eaters and Voldemort himself. What is there to be scared of now, huh? I clearly remember you flinching for days whenever I came near you after that punch in our third year!" She laughed with a smirk on her lips. He would gladly dub it as a Malfoy smirk.

"That was a long time ago Granger." Draco replied sharply, trying to stay on his toes. '_I saw what she did against those bloody Death Eaters alright! She has one of the best Bombarda's I've ever seen. I want to keep my private parts, as well as the rest of me, intact! And who would have thought that the Gryffindor Princess would have such a potty mouth. That's really hot._' he thought.

"And you have some balls calling me a Granger! I am Leonida Antoinette Maria Mia Zabini and if anything I am better than you and always will be." she yelled, her sapphire eyes burning bright with rage and pride.'_Hot, vary, Vary hot!_' Draco thought. '_Shit I definitely need a cold shower after this_.'

The room was so silent that you could a pin drop. Then there was an outburst of tears and cheers from their small crowd. He saw Blaise cheering and thanking Merlin that she was the sister he had always wanted. The Grangers crying with sadness and the Zabinis and Narcissa crying with joy. Lucius and Draco, however, were stuttering our heads off. They were trying to work out what the hell just happened. '_I hate to admit it, but that was not only hot, but impressive. I think she will fit in just fine.' _Draco finally conceded.

"Darling, what does this mean?" Jean Granger asked quietly and her husband held on to her. "It means 'MOTHER' that I am leaving and starting my life over with the Zabini's as a pureblood and I will never be returning to you!" Hermione finished her statement with a very eerie cold frown.

Blaise stood by his sister and put his hand on her shoulder. Draco could tell he was proud to have his sister back. Anthony and Maria ran over to their children and engulfed them in a huge group hug. One that was readily returned by both siblings. Stepping back he could here Anthony say "We will leave whenever your ready sweetheart. Go and gather the things that you need, and remember to grab your trunk and school things, ok?"

"Okay…Daddy." Hermione said with a shy but bright smile. '_Yup she's gunna be treated like a fucking princess. Oh well, after all that shit she went through in the war with Potter I guess she deserves it. No one but her has been able to knock me on my ass and get away with it_' Draco though.

She ran upstairs to gather her things and returned a few minutes later with just a small beaded handbag. '_I know she was poor but she has to have more things than that!?_' Draco thought. He was about to open his mouth to question her, but Blaise beat him to it.

"Where is the rest of your stuff? Don't you need your trunk for our last year, and I know you have got to have a ton of books you aren't willing to part with." he asked. She looked at him, then tilted her head back and laughed. The sound was of pure music to Draco's ears. '_She has an amazing laugh, and she looks so happy now. She really is beautiful when she is happy.' _Draco thought.

"Of course i need my trunk and books!" she giggled. "I have everything I need from this house packed in here." she said as she lifted the handbag. Everyone just stared at her in shock and disbelief. "Oh really! How do you think Harry, Ronald, and I got around during the war? We couldn't vary well carry our trunks with us, we were on the run! I used this bag, I fit everything inside."

"But...but how, you said you had books, a tent, things that can't possibly fit in that tiny bag. It's not possible!" choked out a vary confused Lucius Malfoy.

"Oh, I assure you Mr. Malfoy, it is quite possible. Come take a peek." she said opening the bag and holding it out to him. He stepped forward and looked inside, his mouth falling open at what he saw. It was all there, like a well organized room. Her trunk was there as well as boxes and boxes of books clothes and other things she needed. It was like looking through a little hole in the ceiling. "Go ahead and accio something. It will come strait to you, no problem. And make it something big to show everyone else." she said, smirking at the look on his face.

_'This is going to be good. I bet she has packed her whole room in there somehow._' Draco thought.

Lucius looked up at her smirking face and decided to do as she asked. With everyone watching, he pulled his wand out of his cane and pointed it at the bag, summoning the largest box of books in it. As she said, it flew out of the bag and floated next to him. Hermione laughed at everyone's faces as they looked on in complete shock. "But...how?" Lucius asked again.

"Undetectable Extension Charm. I can fit anything of any size in this bag. It also has a weightless charm on it, so I don't feel the wait of the continence." she stated proudly. Everyone was looking at her as if she just grew a second head. '_With all her brains she might as well have two heads._' Draco smirked. She giggled again and said "This is where you all question your knowledge and power to that of a sixteen year old witch. Now you know what it is like for all those who have had to put up with me, being a know-it-all Gryffindor.

'_Well she said it. She is a Know-it-all._' Draco laughed to himself. '_I wonder if she will still be a Gryffindor when we go back to school. She will have to be resorted now that the Glamour spell has been broken_.' Draco admired how a true glamour charm could glamour more than the body, but also part of the personality. '_Her Slytherin traits were no doubt hidden by the charm, although her bravery couldn't be all from the glamour.'_ he thought. _  
_

Hermione placed the box back into the handbag and took one more look before closing it and walking over to her father. "I'm ready to go home now Daddy." she told him, grabbing his hand. He looked at her and smiled with tears in his eyes. "Okay Princess, lets take you home."

Anthony, who had one arm around his wife and the other around his daughter, nodded to Blaise who grabbed his sister's hand and they disapparated. Draco watched as the family disappeared and looked to his own. His father had an arm around his mother and was motioning him to come along. Lucius clasped his son's shoulder and they, too, disapparated to Zabini Manor.

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**Wow longer chapter :) Review Please! **


	3. Zabini Manor, Home

**A/N: Same As the first two, although I changed a bit more in Ch 2 and 3 than I did in Ch 1. There are two different POV this chapter, we start with Leo and end with Draco. You'll know when the change. Cheers!**

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After a very shaky apparation they landed in front of a building that could only be described as a palace. The building stood tall and long, with four stories on each side and five stories in the center. It wasn't dark like Malfoy Manor, it was light and elegant, with a hint of mystery.

The group made their way in to one of the many sitting rooms on the ground floor of what was now Hermione's new home. '_Shit, this place is huge!_' she thought to herself.

"Well this is your new home Herm...ehmm...Leonida. Wait, what do I call you now? Your not Hermione and I don't know if you like Leonida either so…Who are you?" Blaise asked with confusion in his eyes.

"I'm Leo, I'm your twin sister." She said with a sweet smile that would warm the coldest of hearts. Leo saw their parents standing in the door way watching us. The Malfoys were right beside them. '_How am I going to handle being around the Malfoys? I'm a pure-blood now so they wont have anything to say against me. They and my godparents for Merlin's sake. But all that has happened in the war, do they even remember what happened to me in their own house? I guess I will just have to talk to them and get to know them before I make any judgments._' Leo thought.

"Draco, we are leaving for the ministry now. We will see you when we have everything taken care of." Lucius said from the main entryway. Draco looked at them and smiled and nodded. "Ok Father, Mother, I will see you then."

Lucius then looked at Leo and said "I know that you don't have the best of feelings about us dear, but please give us a chance to talk to you when we return. We have a great many things to discuss. Most of all I really wish to tell you that we are glade that you are home safe."

Leo had a calculating look on her face as she stared at the Malfoy couple thinking over her decision to trust them. Finally she turned and walked over to Lucius and held out her hand. "While I can't say that I support or forget all the things I've known you or your family to do, I understand why you had to do them. Not only where you forced under the Imperious curse but you were trying to keep your family alive. I can not be angry with someone who has that kind of courage and compassion. Even if he won't admit that he has it to his self." she said smirking at him slightly.

Lucius look at her with a mixture of shock and gratitude in his eyes. He took her hand in a firm yet gentle grip and gave her a slight smirk of his own. Narcissa, who had tears in her eyes, was just staring at them. Leo looked at her and on a whim gave her a hug, "I thank you Narcissa, for having the courage to stand up to Voldemort and tell him Harry was dead even though he wasn't. If it wasn't for you then I would never have gotten the chance to meet my real family." she pulled back, hoping her eyes showed the love and forgiveness she felt towards her godmother.

Leo turned to her parents and saw the unshed tears in their eyes. She walked over and hugged both of them close. "I'm so grateful to meet you and so happy to be apart of this family."

"We are to pumpkin, so much so. Your mother and I have been so worried not knowing if you were dead or alive in that damnable war." Anthony gave her a slight squeezed before letting go of her to look into her eyes. "Unfortunately, we have to go to the ministry for a few hours to sort out the paperwork of you coming home with us. Will you be ok here with the boys? Or do you wish to come with us?" he ask.

"No Daddy I'll be alright here. I fought in a bloody war, I think a few hour with these two slackers will be easy." she turned and gave a wink to her twin and his best friend. Everyone in the room started laughing at the confused look of the boys' faces.

The Malfoy and Zabini parents walked over to the floo and said there goodbyes. Maria turned around before she flooed away, "Blaise, be a dear and show your sister where her room is. Make sure to give her the map to help her way around while getting used to the Manor."

"Yeah Mum, I got it covered." he said with a smile.

"Thank you, bye you two." she replied and was whisked away to the ministry with the others.

Blaise turned from the fireplace to look at Leo. "Well Sis, what do you want to do first?"

"Oh! Um…well I suppose you can show me around the Manor. Then I can get settled in my room, and I'm pretty sure we have some talking to do. Even without Mum and Dad." she said looking from one boy to the next.

"Alright Leo, let's go then. Drake you coming?" Blaise turned to his long time friend.

"Nah man, I'm going to head up to my room and chill. You need some time alone with your sister." and with a small wave Draco walked out of the room, up the main staircase and disappeared down the hallway to the right.

Leo looked after him as he went feeling a little sad. "Is he ok? With all of this…I mean…me being well, me." she looked around to see Blaise looking at something on the mantle. "Blaise? Are you ok?" she asked. '_Shit, did I do something wrong already?_' she wondered.

He turned around and gave Leo a watery smile, "Yeah, I'm ok. I just was looking at the only picture of the two of us together." Surprised by his answer she walked up behind him to take a look as well. It was a picture of their Mum and Dad. They were each holding a bundle in their arms, their mother a pink one, and their father a blue one."Th…tha…that's us?" she stuttered.

"Haha, yeah. That was taken the day before you went into protection. The last day we saw you, well the real you." he looked down at me and smiled. "Come on, I'll give you the grand tour." he declared as he swung his arm over her shoulders and lead her from the room.

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Draco sat in his room in Zabini Manor trying to stay out-of-the-way. He knew this was a big day for the twins downstairs. '_Why the fuck am I here in the first place. I'm old enough to stay at Malfoy Manor on my own, plus I don't want to disturb the family when they just got a member back._' he thought silently.

'_I had always noticed something weird about Blaise, like something was missing. I guess he was just missing his twin without realizing it. I have to admit Leo was quite the looker. But she was Hermione Granger once, how the bloody hell am I supposed to look past that. Just because she looks different and has a different name don't mean she will change completely right? Sure this means that she never really was a mud-blood, but still. We had hated each other for years. And she probably still hates him._' thoughts were whirling around in his head. He was starting to get a headache.

"What the bloody hell am I supposed to think?" I wondered aloud.

"Well hopeful that you're not insane. Really man when did you start talking to your self?"Draco looked up to see Blaise leaning against the door jamb, arms folded and a wide smirk on his face.

"Shut the bloody hell up and get your ass in here." he growled.

"Mate you okay? You look a bit down?" Blaise asked obviously concerned about him.

"Yeah I'm fine, it's just, I'm trying to figure out why I'm actually here, this is a big time for your family and I feel like I'm gate crashing it. Plus, your sister used to be Hermione Granger. I know you know how I felt about her, how we used to be around each other. What am I supposed to feel now? And if this morning was any indication I'm sure she still hates my guts." he said. Talking to Blaise always made him feel better.

"Well…" Blaise started. "as for you gate crashing, don't be, you're as much apart of this family as I am. Your like my brother and my parents love you like you were their own, you know that." Blaise paused and thought a moment. "As for Leo, well mate, I honestly don't know. I know how you used to feel about her and how your Dad felt about it, but its seems like he's just fine now. Just try to keep an open mind. Forget the past and start with a new slate. I'm sure its confusing time for her and I don't think she wants to start this off will you two going at each others throats. And you deserved what you got this morning after what you said to her."

Draco took a minute to let the words sink in, "New slate hu? I think I can do that. And you know that I only said those things this morning to get a rise out of her, to get her to react. She needed to realize that she is who she is and except it." he looked up at his best friend. "I was always the best at that getting a reaction out of her. I don't think even Weasley could get her as mad as i can!" he said with a big smile spreading across his face. "Thanks for cheering me up mate, don't know what I would do without you." Blaise just smiled.

Draco looked at the door Blaise just came through, "So where is Leo anyway?"

"Oh, she is in her room getting settled." Blaise look at him curiously. "What do you think of the new her Drake? I'm gonna need help keeping the boys off her at school aren't I?" he said looking worried.

"Ha, that's an understatement. To be honest mate, your sister's hot. Think about it, she is absolutely beautiful now that the glamour is gone, we know that she is smart, she has a good sense of humor. She also as a wicked side! We know from the war days that she is trickier then some of the best Slytherins around. She is every guys dream girl!" he laughed.

'_Shit I just described my dream girl. Uh-oh, this might mean trouble._' He looked at Blaise to see if he realized it to.

Blaise looked like he wanted to laugh, then he realized that it was his sister they were talking about. He whipped out a pillow and hit Draco in the face with it. He started laughing and hitting Blaise back. Soon it was all out warfare and nothing was safe, even books and clothing were being thrown.

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**I'll have the next chapter up within the next few days! Review!**


	4. Settling In with Miny

**A/N: This is where we start to change things up a little. Most of this chapter is my myself and later on Abbie's work is brought in. I thought we might want to spend a little bit of alone time with dear Leo before we moved on. Fair warning: I went overboard on describing her room... her room is exactly my dream room. **

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Leo was absolutely in love with her new room. The room was had a multitude of colors in it, being deep purple, lime green, electric blue, and hot pink. There were also accents of her most beloved animal print all through-out the room. '_How the Hell did they know what my favorite colors are? And This zebra print! This is just gorgeous!' her mind screamed at her. _The walls were painted zebra stripped, but instead of it being black and white, the white was replaced with the other bright colors.

All of the wood furnishings looked to be a medium mahogany. Bookshelves lined all one wall and in the center of the shelving was an elaborate built-in desk. To the right of the bookshelves were French doors leading out a beautiful balcony that ran the length of the house. The wall between the bookshelf and the French doors was painted plain black and Leo thought it odd. She went over to the wall to see a note scribbled on it in chalk.

**_"Chalkboard wall! Thought you would find it easier for your constant lists and such. Got Blaise to help me paint it as a special treat for you. Chalk in the top draw of the desk, cheers. DLM" _**

Leo sat there not believing her eyes. '_Who knew that Draco Malfoy had such a sweet side!? I can't believe how sweet this is!" _she thought. '_I'll have to watch out for him, i have a feeling this sweetness will get me in trouble._' She got up and move to look at the rest of the room. Opposite the balcony doors was a black sectional sofa with a zebra area rug in front of it. On the rug was an intricate glass coffee table. There were to doors, one on either side of the sofa. One led to her walk in closet and the other to the most amazing on suit bath she had ever seen. Across the room, to the right of the French doors, was a long dresser with a three-sided mirror mounted on top.

Her favorite part of the room, however, had to be the beautiful king sized, pillow top, four-poster bed. The sheets were pure silk and matched the patters on the walls and there were four pillows on it, each one of the bright colors. She flopped down on the bed and thought about the day she had so far. '_Well, I found out that 16 years of my life was a lie to protect me from Voldemort and I am really a pure-blood Zabini. I left my old home and am now in my amazing new bedroom at my HUGE Manor, not to mention that the family that had despised me are now family friends and love me to bits. My old friends that I went through hell and back with still have no idea about the truth and to top everything off I have a smoking new body.' _she thought sullenly. '_All this and it's just hitting noon. Ha, just another day in the screwed up life of me.' _Leo decided that brooding about it will get her no where, so she set out to unpack her things.

Leo brought all of her boxes and trunk out of her beaded handbag and set them about the room. There was a little pop and she whirled around to see a house elf dressed in what looks to be a dingy pillow case. The elf squeaked and looked at her with huge blue eyes, then did a deep curtsy, her nose almost touching the floor. "Miny is here to help the Mistress unpack. Miny is malady's personal elf." she said shakily. Leo looked at the elf who was now staring at her with hope in her eyes. She still hated the miss treatment of house elves and believed that they should be freed, but, she could tell that the elf really did want to serve and help her. How could she say no to such a small and kind creature?

"Ok Miny you may be my personal elf but we are going to lay down some rules first." she said. The elf nodded enthusiastically, her big ears flapping at the motion. '_Alright, the only way I know to get a house elf to properly take care of itself as well as its master or mistress is to order it to do so. Here goes nothing..._'

"Miny, I expect you be clothed in an actual dress from now on. I will not have you in rags if you are to be mine. Do you understand?" she asked. The elf look apprehensive, shifting her weight from foot to foot. Leo knew why. "This is not punishment or me freeing you, I want you to look honorable for me and my family. I also want you to be clean and well fed. I do not want an unkempt house elf. I expect you to work when need be and rest and eat when you are supposed to. Am I also going to treat you with respect, I refuse to physical abuse you and expect you do not maim yourself in my care. Is that understood Miny? This is very important to me." Leo finished with a reassuring smile.

Miny looked at her with tears in her eyes and for a moment Leo thought she did something wrong. Then Miny sobbed with a smile. "Thank you Mistress! Miny was told she was going to serve the former Hermione Granger and thought she would be freed without a chance to serve. Mistress is letting Miny stay! Mistress wont hurt Miny, she knows that and Miny will do as she is asked. Do you wish Miny to do so now? What color should Miny wear to please her Mistress?" rushed the excited elf. She seemed to be bouncing with joy.

Leo sighed with relief and happiness, "How about a blue dress today? I would like you to have a few to choose from so you don't wear the same one everyday. Ok? And to signify that you are proudly mine you will wear the colors of my room. That is four dresses for you to choose and switch off from." Miny nodded and popped out. '_I can't believed that actually worked! It really would be nice to have extra help. As long as she knows to take care of herself along with me then this will work out perfectly! At least i know that she is in good hands at not with an abusive family like so many others._' she thought excitedly. A minute later Miny popped back in with a pretty blue dress on and the initials LZ over her heart.

"Great, its perfect!" Leo exclaimed. "Now I want you to unpack my books and set them on the shelves in alphabetical order, by author, from left to right. There are Muggle as well as magical books, I want them separated. Got it?" she asked. Miny nodded, curtsied, and set off to work. As Miny was doing the books Leo set off to unpack her clothes. At first Miny didn't want her to but when she explained that she wasn't a helpless vegetable and she was doing this weather Miny liked it or not, she got no more complaints.

When they were done Miny went to get Leo a drink. Leo left her trunk at the foot of the bed for easy access and she look down at her clothes. She decided to change as she was still in the short-shots and vest top that she left the Grangers in. '_Hmmm, what to wear. Shit not a lot of my close fit me anymore._' she thought as she rummaged through her closet.

Miny returned with a glass of cold pumpkin juice, as it was a hot summer day. As Leo sipped her juice she decided to clean out all the clothes she knew she wouldn't fit into any longer. It depressed her to watch as Miny went through and took out all the clothes to small for her. She didn't have many clothes in the first place and she had to cut that number almost in half. When Miny finished she decided to change into her favorite faded jean short shorts and an electric blue of the shoulder top with black converse.

She left Miny with orders to donate the unwearable clothes somewhere and then finish unpacking her hair, makeup and bathroom supplies while she went off to explore the house more. Blaise gave her a map of the house much like the Marauders Map that Harry has of Hogwarts. '_I think I'm going to explore the kitchen.' _she thought with a giggle. '_I wonder if my metabolism is ready to be pampered by a house elf.' _

Halfway to the kitchen she heard the doorbell go off and immediately went to answer it. She suddenly stopped and thought '_Shit, should I get it or should I wait for Blaise to get it. I don't know if I'm supposed to keep this a secret or not...well fuck it. I live here too now. Might as well act like it._' She was in the foyer when she saw Miny open the door to see who it was. She her male voices and decided to let her house elf deal with them, so she just leaned up against the wall and waited. Miny looked at her as if to ask if they were allowed in, Leo nodded her consent.

Two teenage boys walked in after Miny opened the door more. They were talking about the absurdity of a house elf in a blue dress when they noticed Leo. They stopped and just stared at her, jaws dropped. She recognized each of them as Theodore Nott and Adrian Pucey, both in her year at school, both in Slytherin, both extremely attractive, but most importantly both are players. The boys cleared their throats at the same time and straighten themselves out to look respectable in front of a lady. '_Yup, players alright._' Leo thought.

"Hello, I'm Adrian Pucey and this is…" Adrian had started and Theodore jumped in to say his name himself, "I'm Theodore Nott but please call me Theo. " he said as he kissed her hand. She smiled politely and said "Yes, Of course. I know who you both are. You must be here for Blaise though. Miny, show our guests to the sitting room and then get some drinks while I get Draco and Blaise." Before they could ask who she was, she had turned and disappeared down the hall to find her brother. She took her map out and saw that they were in Draco's room.

She knocked on the door when she arrived, Draco opened the door and both boys stood in the doorway sweating and panting. "Leo, whats up?" her brother asked, still trying to catch his breath. She noticed there clothes were rumpled and she instantly thought of the worst. "Ehmm Blaise is there something you need to tell me?" she said slowly, looking between the two, hoping he would catch on. He did his eyes went wide and he explained that they were having a fight, jokingly of course.

"Oh, ok. Well anyway, your friends Theo and Adrian are downstairs, thought you'd want to know." They made their way downstairs and Leo watched as all the boys greeted each other with manly hugs and hand shakes. '_I wonder how he is going to explain me. He is going to have to tell them I'm his sister but how to explain why they have never seen me before?_' she thought as the two new guys asked about her.

"Ehmm guys this is my twin sister Leo. I'm guessing you guys want to know whats going on hu?" Blaise said to his friends. Both boys looked shocked and nodded their heads siting down on a sofa together. "Oh, well this is new. You're his sister hu? I thought you were Draco's bird, ya know cause you seem like his perfect girl with the height, hair, eyes and clothes." Theo said winking at her making Leo blush lightly. She then looked at herself. _'I'm wearing kick back clothes and don't have much make up on, I look like shit and he is winking at me. He said I'm Draco's type...am I really?'_ She looked over at Draco to she him glaring at Theo, there was a slight blush on his face as well and decided to drop the subject.

Blaise asked Leo if he was allowed to tell his friends what happened. She decided that they can know, as it would be nice to have a few people around that knew when Hogwarts started again. She nodded and sat down in a chair swinging her leg over the side, unintentionally giving all the men in the room a good look at her long tan legs. As Blaise spoke she called Miny and asked how her room was coming along. When Miny said everything was in place Leo asked for a bottle of water and just sat there sipping it with an amused expression at the faces to the two guys were making.

"So you see she has been in hiding for all this time and we just found her last night. We stayed up the whole night getting ready for her to come home with us this morning, and she did." Blaise finished. Theo nodded and Adrian spoke up, "Where has she been?" She flinched knowing what was coming next and didn't know how they were going to take it. "Well..." Blaise began, "she had a glamour charm on her remember so she was hiding id plain sight..." he said trying to work his way around the question.

"Yeah we get that, but who were you? Did you go to school with us? Did we know you?" Theo asked this time, directing them at Leo. She took a deep breath and answered, "Yes I did go to school with you and yes you did know me, but not in the way that you think." she paused for dramatic effect. "I used to be Hermione Granger." she said at last. The look on their faces were ones of shock, then morphed into understanding, then, to her confusion, pure fear.

They both started stuttering out apologizes and explanations and then she understood why they were scared. They used to be cruel to her when she was Hermione and thought she would hate them and try to get back at them. She raised her hand to halt their stuttering and stumbling. She smiled at them and said "I'm not going to kill you and I'll make sure my brother will never know the extent any of you went to, to harm me." she said to them. They both seemed to relax and smiled at her, she couldn't help but smirk cruelly and add, "However, I make no promises that I won't return the favor. Draco got a piece this morning, he will tell you that those who push me will get pushed right back. I expect you two saw me at the Final Battle as well...I'm letting him off easy because I wouldn't want to upset Lucius and Narcissa. You, however, should watch your backs. " She winked at them, got up and walked over to Blaise.

"Do you want to tell me how the fuck did you two know what my favorite colors are and that I love zebras? My room is absolutely bloody perfect!" she said looking between Blaise and Draco, not bothering with the gasps that she heard from the other two. '_Probably shocked from hearing the Gryffindor Golden Princess swear so commonly._' she thought to herself. "And Draco you are such a dear for that chalkboard wall! That was soo sweet of you!" she said. She walked over and gave him a big hug and, just to tease him, a kiss on the cheek. '_Just his type hu...we'll see._' she thought with glee at seeing him blush.

"You better give him more than one kiss while you're at it sis," Blaise chuckled. "He was the one to do the room up, I just helped." Leo turned back to Draco who was looking at Blaise with narrowed eyes and his face completely red. "Is that true Draco? How did you know?" she asked softly.

Draco looked at her and she swore that he turned even redder before saying, "Yeah, I did it. I noticed that you wore those colored a lot and you always had something zebra on you. Weather it be an accessory or your work journals." he replied shyly.

"Oh, well when i actually think about it...it's pretty obvious. Hu? Oh, well! Thank you sooo Much though!" Leo said throwing her arms around him in another hug. She felt his arms com around her waist and for some reason she didn't want him to let go. "You're most certainly welcome if i keep getting hugs like this." he laughed in she ear. '_Oh, this really does spell trouble. I can't feel this way, not right now...Come on Leo get you act together!' _she thought. Leo pulled back from him with a smile and a wink and turned to her brother.

"Now brother dear, my things are unpacked and I think you should have some bonding time. What do you wanna do? Have that oh so important discussion about our-selves or find something actually fun to do." she said, sarcasm dripping off of the first part of her sentence. '_I really don't want to have that discussion while there are other people in the house and i just want to relax and move on from the painful past. Now that i know who I really am I can restart my life this way.' _she thought to herself. Blaise seemed to catch on and said they should all go swimming in the huge family pool.

Leo was glad he chose to do something else but was a bit nervous. _'It would be me and 4 boys, Sure one of them is my brother and of course I'm used to being around boys because of the golden trio thing and the whole Weasley family adopting me, but these guys were Slytherins and HOT. Not to mention that I would have to be in a bathing suit and being the only girl I'm probably going to be pawed at. What if they see the scars and bruises? What will they say?' _she worried, '_I guess I just cover up as much as I can with makeup and glamours and avoid the water.'_

"Ok," she said aloud. "I'll just go get my bathing suit on. Let me know when you all are ready!" Leo said as she bounced out of the room. She didn't notice three pairs of eyes resting on her swaying hips and one looking at her with uncertainty, she was to lost in her own doubt and worry.

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**Scars from what? From the War? Or maybe something else? hmmm we will see. Review Please!**


	5. Scars of the Past

**A/N: WARNING! This chapter contains self harm and talk of abuse! Nothing goes into specific detail but I thought a warning was necessary. There are also quite a few POV changes in this chapter. I promise this won't happen often but there is quite a bit going on in this chapter, to much for just one person's view. **

**Thank you again to those of you who reviewed, I love hearing from you. :)**

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Blaise was a pretty smart guy and he knew his three best friends wanted his twin sister. He couldn't honestly blame them, she was good-looking, smart and funny, but she was out of their league. '_Adrian had no chance with her, because I'm not going to let that player near my sister just to witness her get hurt. Theo had a chance but he just wanted the arm candy and the fame of dating the hottest girl in the wizarding world. I wont let him do that to her. Draco on the other hand had every chance with Leo I would be willing push them together. They had the same interest and they were each other ideal match the only thing stopping them was their history, with Leo previously being Hermione Granger and Draco being well Draco and how he used to act before the war. There was probably no way Leo would fall for him especially with all the damage he and his family had done to her over the years._' Blaise was thinking to himself.

Shaking the thoughts away he told the guys he would meet them by the pool and that he was going to go get Leo. He made his way down to her room. It had been decorated especially for her and he knew the minute he found out that she was once Hermione Granger that it was the ideal room for her.

After he tapped three knocks on her door Blaise waited for a reply. After waiting a few seconds a voice called out for him to enter. He walked in to find her sitting on her couch reading. She was dressed in a short (to short through brotherly eyes) yellow summer dress that came down to mid-thigh. He could see the halter neck straps of her bikini.

"Leo you ready?" he asked getting her attention. She nodded and they made their way out to the beautiful Olympic circle shaped pool that had palm trees and sand around it and the patio, giving it a tropical vibe. The boys were all sitting with their feet in the pool talking and laughing when Leo and Blaise arrived. They hadn't noticed the arrival of the twins which gave Leo a great idea, she took off her summer dress which left her scantily clad in a black and silver bikini.

She snuck up behind Theo and Adrian while Blaise tried to hold his laughter. He knew what his twin was going to do. When she was behind Theo and Adrian she turned around, winked at her brother and pushed them in. Two very girly squeals sounded in the air as they fell into the pool.

Blaise let out a deep laugh as his friends popped up. "Be happy that is the revenge that she started with boys!" he laughed. Everyone joined in on the laugh when he said that. Blaise walked over to help Theo out of the pool and Leo took that opportunity to push Blaise in. They all started laughing again ans when he popped up she looked at him and said "You make it to easy for me dear brother. You expect to get away with things you have said in the past because we are related? Ha, fat chance."

She hadn't noticed Draco sneak up behind her but the boys had. They stopped laughing and watched the scene unravel in front of their eyes, almost in slow motion. Draco grabbed Leo round the waist and lifted her bridal style. He whispered "Sorry Love, but, you had this coming." in her ear and jumped in submerging them both in the cool water.

Both teens disappeared under the water and Draco felt Leo as they froze. He looked at her wondering what was wrong. He looked her in the eye and saw sheer panic. Then saw why.

* * *

Leo was all out panicking as Draco jumped into the water with her. _'Oh Shit! The water is going to wash away the makeup and the small glamour charms on me! They're going to see! I can't let them see!' _her mind was going about a mile a minute. She noticed Draco looking at her and she tried to get away. The water became clouded from her makeup and she used this to get farther away, unfortunately not far enough. The cloud had faded and all that was left was Draco and a girl who looked like she had no life left in her. She was bruised, cut, and battered.

In a split second decision, Leo dashed out of the pool not realizing she had given everyone a great view of the battered, bruised and cut body that she was ashamed to call her own. She felt tears spring to her eyes as she ran to her room. '_I can't believe he saw. Oh god, he will tell Blaise. Shit Blaise might have seen when I got out!' _Panic was taking over full force and she didn't know what to do. When she got to her room she threw up the strongest wards she knew and yelled for Miny.

Miny popped in and upon seeing her Mistress in such a state, set out to make it better. She grabbed Leo's hand and dragged her to the bathroom where she drew a honey and jasmine bath. As Leo settled in the bath she heard the boys pounding at her door. She told Miny to tell them that she was fine and would talk to them soon. Leo took a deep breath, '_I just need to calm down and relax. I knew they would find out eventually, just not so soon. Mom and Dad should be back in another hour or so, I will have to tell the whole story then.' _she thought.

Miny started to wash her hair and Leo became so relaxed by the gentle touch she dozed off.

* * *

The boys where sitting outside Leo's door waiting for her to be ready to talk. The three boys that were above the water were expecting some sort of sexy make out session, not a girl looking so small and battered wearing what look like both fresh and old scars and bruises to run out of the pool with tears streaming down her face. Then to see Draco 'Mr No Emotions' Malfoy come above the water with a facial expression that had every bad and negative look possible. They all got out the pool running after Leo.

After arriving at her door the boys, all still soaking wet, realized she had put up wards to stop them from entering, so they started pounding at her door begging for access but to no avail. They were surprised when a house elf in a little blue dress popped in front of the door. She explained that she was Leo's personal elf and that her Mistress was talking a bath to calm down and when she was done and ready she will let them in to talk.

So they sat there for a good 45 minutes, hoping she would need to come out of her room soon. They had all transfigured they swimming trunks into clothing. Blaise was wearing light grey sweat pants and a blue t-shirt, Theo was wearing grey jeans and a yellow hoodie, Adrian was wearing black trackies and a silver t-shirt and Draco was wearing skinny jeans, a white t-shirt with a red black and blue checked shirt over the top.

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Leo was awoken by Miny who helped her out of the bath and dried her. She put on tight pajama shorts and Harry's Gryffindor Quidditch jersey, which came down to mid-thigh. Miny put her hair in a towel and said she was going to clean the bathroom up while Leo let the boys in, then she will do her hair nice and pretty. Leo nodded and went to the door.

She unlocked the door and saw all the boys in the hall. They gave her sympathetic looks that she hated to see. She stepped aside from her door giving them access to her room, they quickly entered scared she's change her mind and made themselves comfy on her sofa.

Leo took a seat on her bed and took her hair out of the towel. Miny came out of the bathroom and hopped up on Leo's bed and started to dry and fiddle with it. Leo relaxed at the elf's touch again and looked at the boys. "I supposed I should apologize for what I did earlier. I don't let people see me like that."

"Leo we can understand that you have scars from the war, a lot of people do. We just want you to know that we are still here for you and that you don't have to run away." Blaise said.

"War explains scars alright. But they don't explain why she was in tears or why the fuck she's covered in new and old scars. I would like to know why she is bruised all over like she has been abused for a long t..i..m..e." Draco's sentence faded away as he realized what really had happened. Everything started to play out in his mind, it felt like a puzzle piece fitting into the correct place.

_"She used to be so bubbly, always answering questions is class, but then she and Weasel had been dating for a while. That's when it all stopped, she wouldn't ask questions or draw attention to herself. She would stay quiet at the back of the class." _he thought._ Shit! This also explained why I heard crying one night while patrolling the halls one night in 6th year."_ Draco came out of his thought paler that usual and looked at Leo with pain filled eyes. She probably followed his train of thought and with tears in her eyes she nodded. With that confirmation he stormed out of the room. Leo nodded to the boys as if to tell them to follow him and not to worry about her.

* * *

When the boys left she said that she appreciated the elf being there but she just wanted to be alone and that she will call for her when she is needed. As soon ad Miny was gone she let out a sob. '_Draco knew!' _she thought. He followed her own train of thought and figured it out, she saw it in his eyes.

"_And now he is telling the others, I can't handle their pity. Oh no! Ron is going to kill me now that they know!" _she panicked. Then she did what she promised herself she would never try to do again.

With two quick swishes of her wand her blood flowed free, and her vision went dark.

* * *

The guys found Draco in his room violently punching the wall. They watched him for a minute until Blaise broke the pregnant silence. "Mate, what the fuck is going on? You space out for a minute then look at my sister as if she just told you all her problems. Then you storm off and take your anger out on my wall."

Draco turned to his best mate with a fire in his eyes that made the others take a step back. He took a deep breath and told them what he had realized and what she had confirmed.

"He's abusing her, THAT FUCKING WEASEL IS ABUSING HER! Haven't you noticed how she was distant in classes and wasn't her cocky know-it-all self at the end of 6th year?" he shouted. "That fucker is the one who put those bruises and scars on her!"

It took a few seconds for Blaise to register what his friend had said and when he did his eye went black with pure rage. He stormed out of Draco's room and barged through the door of Leo'd room to find his sister lying on her bed covered in her own blood.

"_No! Not again! Not to her! Please Merlin not her_!" his mind screamed.

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**Uh-Oh! What does he mean again? **

**Now at this point I have just been revising, getting the ok, and posting the chapters whenever. This means that they are popping up at random times and can be hard to keep track of so i'm thinking of limiting my posting days down to 2 specific days. Don't know which ones yet so i will keep you updated. **

**Please Review!**


	6. Deja Vu?

**A/N: I am soooooooo sorry to all of my amazing readers! I absolutely HATE it when an author takes to long to update and look at what I did! I just started my Senior Year of high school so I have been **

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**Flashback…**

"THEY JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND! Ahhhhhhhh. Dammit!" Screamed an exasperated Draco Malfoy.

Blaise, who heard his screams from his room in Malfoy Manor, was instantly startled and went to investigate. As he approached his best friend's room he heard glass shatter and sobs coming from inside. Blaise burst through the door thinking the worst.

Expecting to find assassins or some sort of dark wizard, Blaise was confused by the scene in front of his eyes. There was a broken chair, a smashed vase, and a broken unconscious boy lying on his bed with both his wrists cut and heavily bleeding.

"No, no, no. Drake, man, you need to wake up! I need you wake up! Please don't die!" Blaise said on the brink of tears. He was silently hoping that maybe Draco was playing a sick joke on him and was going to jump up and scream 'SURPRISE' at anytime soon, but, sadly not. He shouted for Narcissa and Lucius and they came rushing into the room. Narcissa gasped, horror written all over her face, at what she saw; her only son bleeding to death in their family home. Lucius stared with anger in his eyes knowing the reason behind his son's actions.

Narcissa grabbed some towels from Draco's bathroom and tried to staunch the blood flow while Lucius ran to floo call the family healer. When the healer arrived he stopped the bleeding with a wave of his wand and fed Draco blood-replenishing potions and healing potions.

"Draco had been going through a hard time lately. His uncle came to stay and well he's been wanting Draco to do something important with his life instead of lying around like a lazy teenager, but, for Merlins sake that's what he is! That's what he's meant to be. But things got out of hand one night when his uncle raised his hand to him and slapped him then whipped him with his cane. Draco fought back and I had the pleasure of kicking my dear Brother-in-Law out on his ass. That is the reason behind the scars on his back and this episode." Lucius explained to the family healer. Blaise stood in the corner of the room as he watched the couple look over there only son with so much worry and care in there eyes.

A few days after the incident Draco woke to find his parents out of town and his best friend sleeping in his arm chair with light stubble on his face and a smell that could only prove that he hadn't washed in a few days. He shook his friend to awake him and when he woke all the worries that had been etched on his face disappeared. Blaise engulfed his friend in a manly hug. Draco explained to Blaise that the stress of his uncle had caused him to cut his wrists and Blaise being who he was didn't judge him. But Blaise promised to himself he would never loose someone he loved in such a way.

**Flashback ends…**

Blaise stood there tears streaming down his face as he watched his sister that he had only known for only 10 hours bleed to death from the deep cuts on her delicate wrist. Not wanting to lose her, he went from a distraught angry mess, to a distraught angry mess of a protective brother/medi-wizard. He accio'd a few towels, some warm water and some bandages from the bathroom in her room, but, in the split second that the items arrived in front of him he the panic had come back. He didn't know what to do, he wasn't a train Medi-wizard yet, so he did the only thing he could do. That was to call the only one with experience with wounds, which was "DRACO".

A minute latter Draco appeared in the room taking in the sight of the girl that, only hours ago, became one of his best friends, lying on her bed bleeding. "_This must be how Blaise and parents felt,_" he thought, subconsciously rubbing the scars on his wrists.

He leaped into action murmuring a healing spell and started to help Blaise bandage and clean Leo of any blood. Miny popped into the room and cried out at what she saw. "Go and get my parents and the Zabinis!" Draco pleaded with her. She nodded with tears in her eyes and a sniffing sound and popped right back out. Draco finally addressed Blaise and said, "She is stable and will be fine after she gets some sleep. She is no wear near as bad as I was."

Blaise collapsed onto the couch with a wave of relief. "Why does this keep happening to me?"


	7. Story Time

**A/N:A little latter than I hoped but yet again my computer fizzled out. I had my brother run some computer geek tests on it and try to fix it, so far so good. I hope it lasts! **

**Thank you to all of my readers who reviewed! They really do put a smile on my face and since I am writing this as I ago, I will take you requests and opinions into account. If I can make it work in the story I will try to put it in. **

**We are nearing the part where Abbie stopped, I'm excited and I hope you enjoy what I have in store for you. **

**Enjoy!**

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The first thing Leo recognized when she came into consciousness was the blissful feeling of an Egyptian cotton pillow and the warmth of a bed. She heard murmuring around her but she couldn't make out who was talking. She tried opening here eyes and was met by blinding lamp light. "_You know its times like these where I wish they didn't find a way for magic and electricity to coincide._" She thought. Leo tried again and this time she saw the concerned eyes of 4 boys 4 adults and a young girl.

"She's awake." She heard someone whisper as they all crowded around the bed. They starred at her as if she was going to shatter into a million pieces, and she felt like she just might.

"_That's strange, the Malfoy family looked more shaken up by the situation that her own family,_" she thought.

"Dear, I was hoping that you might like to explain why you scared us all half to death." her mother said. Leo started to fidget as if trying to squirm away from the attention and conversation, but, knowing there was no escape she let out a deep breath and began.

"It started about 6th year, me and Ron Weasley had started dating and it was pure bliss at first. He treated me like a princess and he called himself 'pauper', saying he wasn't worthy of me. We were voted cutest couple of Gryffindor since James and Lily Potter, but, that never phased me. I just ignored everyone who talked." she sniffed.

"Near the middle of the year, during Christmas break, Ron started to hit rock bottom. He would just laze around expecting me to do everything for him, I guessed my days as a princess were over. We came back to school and he didn't seem all that interested in me anymore, well, other than as a maid and homework machine." She pouted.

Draco had to scoff at that. "_I always thought that was the only reason why he dated her. He is to stupid to see her as the smart funny and beautiful woman she is_."

One night in January Ron had gone to the Three Broomsticks for a drink with some Gryffindor guys and when he came back I bumped into him on my prefects patrol rounds. I was sharing with Draco but he had gone the other way and left me to take the higher levels." She looked at Draco to see his eyes widen, he remembers the night she is talking about and she felt bad for what he was about to hear.

"I could instantly smell the strong scent of Firewhiskey on his breath but I brushed it aside and, well, I hoped for the best. He's a really bad drunk and I knew it, but i just hoped that he didn't drink enough to get to that point. But he was. He dragged me into an empty class room and...and I remember exactly what he said to me, after these past couple years, as if I could ever forget." She took a deep breath, preparing herself to say things that have haunted her dreams more then anything she saw in the war.

"He said, "Why can't you be like the other girls? Why can't you be pretty? Be sexy and well up to giving me a good blow or fuck?" Everyone gasped, but she ignored them and continued.

"I didn't say anything cause, well, what do you say to that? I was a virgin and i told him that I wanted to wait for marriage, and he said that he understood. I guess he didn't. He hit me for not answering. That was the first time he hit me and I was so shocked that I just sat on the floor where I fell." She took another breath to stop herself from crying.

"He continued to punch and kick me. He picked me up and put me on a desk. He continued to beat me, I could feel the blood running down my face and neck. Then I heard something metallic. He had pulled out the pocket knife that I had got him for Christmas. He saw me use one once and ask for one, I even taught him how to use it!" She shouted.

"He took the knife and started the cut my top off, then my jeans, and so on. When he successfully had all my clothes off he cut my stomach, back and legs then he, he…" she choked.

I tried to stop him but he was stronger then me! It wasn't the last time it happened... anytime he wanted something from me he would beat me and cut me, then just take what he wanted leaving me to heal and fix up myself. He would always say that if anyone saw my scars or bruises that he would kill me."

Leo's voice trailed off into violent sobs for this had been the first time she had told anyone. She just sat there crying while everyone watched her. Her mother and Narcissa were weeping with her and even though the men were sad, they were all to busy shaking with suppressed rage to care about their tears. Blaise and Draco were actually red in the face, they were so mad.

Leo hadn't spoken a word after her break down and fell asleep. Theo and Adrian left shortly after saying that they will come back to see how she is doing in a few days. Her parents had gone to bed needing to get up early to leave town, against their will, there is some big Ministry to do that they were ordered to attend. Lucius and Narcissa left for a business trip as well, which left Draco, Leo, Blaise and the little girl alone.

Miny, who had yet to leave Leo's bedside, had transfigured a glass into a small cot for the young girl and the boys were left to sleep on the huge couch. The boys took turns sleeping to make sure Leo was alright through the night.

Leo awoke the next morning to see that she was the last to rise. Miny served breakfast to the four silently. She figured the Mistress will talk when she is ready, and she was right.

"I'm sorry." Leo croaked, being the first words she had said since her break down they came out harsh.

"What in the world are you sorry for? That Weasel prat is the one who should be sorry! And he will be when I'm through with him!" Blaise pronounced. Draco chimed in, "When WE are done with him!" Leo just smile d weakly and turned her attention to the girl on Draco's lap.

"Hello" Leo said to the little girl. The little girl squirmed out of Draco's hold and crawled onto the bed to sit with Leo. She must have only been 8 years old, at the most. "I'm Leo Zabini." Leo said, thinking that "_This is the first time I actually used my name, my real name!"_

"I'm Isabella Malfoy, but you can call me Izzy. Not Bella, I hate being called Bella." The young girl said in a shy but stern voice.

"Izzy Malfoy it is then! Are you by any chance...?" But Leo didn't get to finish before being cut off, in true Malfoy style.

"Yes, I'm Draco's little sister!" She gushed with a proud smile on her face. She looked back at Draco, who had gotten up and was standing right behind her. He scooped her up in his arms an swung her about in circles. She let out a high pitched squeal and giggle that was so cute that it made everyone join in. Draco set the still giggling Izzy down on the couch and looked and Blaise, who nodded his head. They both looked at Leo, now straight faced.

"We need to talk." Blaise said. "We have somethings to tell you and maybe a way to help you get over your ordeal." he looked to Draco.  
"He hasn't told many people yet, but, Severus is planning on returning to Hogwarts as Potions Master again." he started off.

Leo smiled, last she heard he was still in St. Mungo's recovering from Nagini's bite. It turns out that Severus was prepared for his attack, and had been drinking antivenin potions for months. By the time he was bitten my the great snake he was practically immune to the venom, only suffering from mass blood loss, which was reversed by Leo's quick thinking.

During the final battle she had kept extra Blood-Replenishing potions and Healing potions on her person, in case she or her friends needed them. So after Severus gave up his memories, she gave him a vile of each potion. This enabled him to rest and wait for proper help to arrive later.

Leo was told in their sixth year, by Dumbledore himself, the special task appointed to the Potion Master at the end of the year. She, in turn, told Harry and Ron. They knew why it had to happen and knew of Severus' innocence all along. They had regularly discussed what would happen on their year finding horcruxes and grew close to the Potions Master, she was so happy to hear of his return.

"That's amazing news!" Leo gushed. "But I don't see how his coming back directly links to me." she finished.

"Well, the summer before sixth year I did the same thing you did last night," Draco explained, lifting his sleeves, showing his scars. "I have more all over my back as well, from my crazed Aunt and Uncle. Severus, my father, and my mother also bear scars from Voldemort's beatings on them."

"The point I am getting at is that a lot of people have scars from the war and Severus is creating a potion for us that will heal all scars." he paused "He is going to take them away Leo, we will be free."

Leo looked at him, eyes bright and hopeful. "Can he? Can he really?" she begged.

Draco sat on the bed next to her and hugged her while she cried. Blaise sat on her other side and rubbed her back saying "He can and he will!"

* * *

**A/N: I personaly can't stand the scars I have, so I gave her and out of her own. Plus it will be a confidence boost :)**


	8. New Beginings

**A/N: I know I said I would get this done over the weekend but...I lied. *Dives behind random person to avoid magically flying inanimate objects***** Sorry! But here is a long one for you to make up for my lateness! **

**This is mostly written by me with only one part being from the original story, from this point on it will be my work as this is where Abbie had stopped. I hope to live up to your expectations!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

After crying about the happy news that Draco shared that fateful morning, Leo felt like nothing in could hurt her now. Her world became dramatically brighter the days following. Her life was finally looking up after seven long years of strife, war, pain and blood. She had a new life to live how she pleased, no expectations to live up to, no threat of death over her head. She no longer felt the need to take herself away from the world for the sake of stopping any future pain from coming to her.

Everyone was still weary of her feelings, especially Blaise and Draco, for days after her episode, but her life soon transitioned into a new state of relative normalcy. She had her talks with her parents and the Malfoys and all grievances had been aired, side of stories had been told. She came to the realization that everything she thought about the Malfoys was wrong. They truly never thought muggle-borns should die or be put down upon, they never felt that they were inferior. They just thought that there were certain advantages that pure-bloods had over them, such as a background understanding of magic and magical traditions.

She had to agree with them on that aspect, due to being a pure-blood brought up as a muggle-born. Her family life never seemed better too. She had parents that spoiled her and loved her more then she could ever think possible, and a brother who adored her and had most of the same interests as she did. He even loved to have educated debates with her. Miny was truly a blessing in disguise and Leo started to rethink her thoughts about the use of house elves. She found that they truly did enjoy working for witches and wizards.

Leo even had the chance to gain new friends through Blaise and Draco and seem to be excepted by all who she meet. Pansy Parkinson soon became one of Leo's best girl friends, even after she found out who Leo used to be.

Each time an old foe became a trusted friend, was let into the inner circle of knowledge and learned of her past life, they swore to protect her and her secret at all costs. They agreed that Ron Weasley was not to know who she was and that justice must be served. Slytherins protect their own.

Nothing seemed to be wrong with her life at the moment, well her waking life. She had the nightmares still, different ones almost every night for the past two years. The problem was that as soon as she woke up in the memories of the dream would fade away and she would be left with a nagging feeling like she should know something.

Leo started to feel more comfortable in her own skin, even though the scars had yet to be healed. She started using the glamours less and less and as she did her confidence grew more and more. When she first stopped using the glamours people in the house would stare at her in pity. After a few heated arguments they learned to keep their pity well hidden. Blaise and Draco watched this transition with awe as the woman they have both come to love, although in decidedly different ways, blossomecd more everyday. That fire in her eyes, which had almost gone completely out the day of her attempted suicide, was burning brighter and brighter everyday. Her temper was back fully and if you got her going, she was a force to be reckoned with.

A week after her attempted suicide Leo awoke to loud banging on her bedroom door. She opened her eyes to see Miny, who after a brief argument with Leo won in having her quarters moved to being attached to Leo's room, answering the door. Blaise and Draco were awaiting anxiously on the other side with matching looks of suppressed triumph and glee.

"Uhhhh, what do you two troublemakers want? It's to dam early in the morning to deal with you two." she grumbled, rolling over and shoving her head into her pillow. The two just walked in, they had learned the hard way that Leo was not a morning person.

"Does Mistress wish for Miny to start her bath or retrieve her breakfast before Miny returns to her quarters to ready for the day?" Miny asked. Ignoring the two boys who were making themselves comfortable on the couch.

"Yeah Miny, can you bring me my coffee? Thanks, you know I won't be able to function without it. You can get ready while I deal with these two, then you can start my shower after your done." Leo replied ad she sat up in bed. She and Miny have fell into a comfortable Mistress/ Elf relationship to were Leo no longer feels bad for asking Miny to do things. In fact, Leo actively calls upon the elf to do things, knowing the elf enjoys helping her more than anything. Truth be told, Leo saw Miny and not just her Elf, but as her personal confident and friend. Miny knows this and always makes sure that Leo is well taken care of.

Miny popped out and popped right back in, now holding a steaming mug of coffee. Leo took a sip and sighed happily, "Thanks Miny, just the way I like it!"

"What dress does Mistress wish Miny wear today?" Miny asked as she walked through the small elf door between the nightstand and the outside wall.

"The pink one! You haven't worn it yet this week." Leo called back. She turned to the boys who were starting to get impatient. "Now, what do you two want?" she asked them.

They looked at her with matching smiles and Draco said, "He did it. He made the solvent and he's here with it! We all agreed that you should go first, so you need to hurry up and shower and get dressed. I would suggest a bathing suit so we can get everything at once!" Leo was up and in the bathroom by the time he was done with his sentence.

It took he all of 15 minutes to shower, dress in her bathing suit and swig down the rest of her coffee, she was so excited. The trio ran down to the den where everyone else was. Not having seen Severus since the night in the Shreaking Shack she was worried about his reaction to her in her true form.

Severus turned around when Leo, Blaise and Draco entered the den and his eyes widened with what looked like surprise when he saw her. Leo was unsure weather it be her new looks or the extent of her abuse, which, she now realized, happened right under his nose, that surprised him.

Seeing him alive and well, standing in front of her as another representation of her freedom of perpetual pain, she couldn't hold her emotions in any longer. She ran to him, luckily he realized her intentions and caught her just as she jumped up to hug him.

Crying she gaped, "You don't know how happy I am your here. That you're ok and that you made it through when so many of us were lost." She looked up at him, tears in her eyes but a smile on her face, "We're free Sev! No more pain, no more hiding, we're finally free!"

This sudden outbreak from Leo surprised everyone in the room, but, what surprised them more was the fact that Severus had a few tears in his eyes as he looked down and her, his favorite student, the young woman who he saw as the daughter he always wanted, and said, "Why Kitten? You had so many chances to tell me. Why didn't you tell me, let me protect you? I could have put a stop to it."

Leo pulled back a bit to look him in the eye, a small watery smile on her face. "I was to scared too, plain and simple. He seemed to be so powerful back then, that if I even thought about telling he would know and he would kill me. If I was killed then Harry would have never have made it through the war, especially if he found out what Ron was doing and that he was the reason I was gone. I couldn't risk losing the war Sev, it was to important for us." She shook her head sadly, "Its over now Severus, I'm free from him."

Everyone remained silent as they watched the discussion. No one has seen this side of the famously dour Potions Master. Here he was, tears in his eyes due to a young woman who everyone thought he hated and never spoke to outside the classroom.

"Kitten? What the hell does he mean by Kitten. What is going on here? I thought you two didn't like each other." Draco burst out, the mask of confusion on his face. Leo and Severus turned to see the look on everyone's faces. Then, despite the seriousness of their previous conversation, they burst out laughing. Yet another thing that few people have seen Severus Snape do.

"Draco," Severus said as he was the first to calm down, "during your 6th year Herm..er..Leo was told all about my work in the Order and became somewhat of a personal assistant. During that time a close friendship was formed between us. As she had kept her adoptive parents in the dark about the war for their safety, I assumed a more, fatherly roll, for her. Kitten being a pet name due to her animagus form."

"Animagus!?" Draco and Blaise shouted together, eyes going wide. Equally surprised looks came from Maria, Anthony, Lucius and Narcissa.

"You didn't tell them?" Severus asked, looking down at her in amusement. She looked up at him and replied with a cheerful, "Opps."

"Opps is right! What animal are you? When did you become an animagus? Spill!" Blaise said, eyes flashing with jealousy and amazement.

"Well, I became an animagus in our 5th year, Harry, Ron and I felt that it would be an element of surprise against our enemies. Harry is a stag like his father and Ron became a Terrier like his Patronus. As for what I am...well, I would rather show you after my treatment. You think the scars look bad now, they look ten times worse in my form." she turned towards Severus. "Can we start now, I really am sick of these things."

"Yes, of course Kitten. Turn around and we will start on your back." By the time all 86 of Leo's scars had been accounted for and permanently healed she was crying again, as was her two Mother figures. Severus was astounded by how many scars she had and the fact that she remembered where and when each and every scar came from and who gave it to her, weather it be from a battle against Death Eaters or from Ron.

"It's officially over now," she whispered as the last scar disappeared. She then sat silently and watched as the scars on Draco, this parents and Severus were healed as well.

"I want everyone in this room to hear me when I say this." she said when everyone was done. "I sunk low, really low, in my days under Ron's torture and I hit bottom last week when I tried to take my own life. I promise myself and my family in this room, that I refuse to sink again. I will rise above this and I will be all the better for it. In fact, I've decided I'm going to get a tattoo, to remind myself that I survived through worse times and that things will get better." she looked around the room the see the smiling faces of some of the most important people in her life. Feeling sad that a few were missing. The eyes she missed most were the striking emerald ones of her long time confident and best friend.

"I'm going to go change and then I'm going to go to Diagon Ally for my tattoo. Blaise, Drake, you wanna come with? We can find something for each of us!" With a nod from the other two, the three teens dashed out of the room with smiles on their faces at their new found freedom of their past.

* * *

The trio made there way into the tattoo parlor in Diagon Ally, each deep in thought of what they wanted to get. A tall burly wizard covered with both wizarding and muggle tattoos greeted them gruffly at the counter. "Name's Ben, I'm the owner and artist of this shop. What can I get yeah?" the man asked. Being Leo's idea, she stepped up first.

"I want a wizarding tattoo. Heard this is the best place to get one. I also heard you do piercings...I want my cartilage done, on both ears, along with my belly button." she said, surprising the guys behind her. Ben, however, just raised an eyebrow and motioned for her to the chair to the side of the counter.

"Alright young lady, we'll do all the tattoos first and then you pick out the pendents and I'll do the piercings. How's that sound?" he asked as she settled in the chair. She was glade she chose the outfit she was wearing as it would give the tattooist easy access to where she wanted her tattoo. She had worn her favorite pair of blue jean cut off short shorts showing of her scar-less legs and a black tank-top with jean vest over it.

"Perfect. Now for the tattoo, I want it to be an anchor with rope draped around it on a small wood doc, waves moving in the background. Above it i want it to say in old English writing 'I Refuse' and under it in the waves 'To Sink' and in the middle of the anchor I want the date 6/7/98. I want the tattoo to be here." she said, pointing to the area to the left and down of her belly button, next to her left hip bone.

Ben nodded and went to work. Draco and Blaise sat there and watched, Draco having a hard time keeping his eyes off of Leo's now scar free, flat, toned stomach. When her tattoo was done Draco went next. He was following Leo's example and getting a dragon wrapped around his right bicep that breathed fire. Underneath it said 'I Refuse to Burn' in Celtic writing with the date of his attempted suicide coming out as the smoke from the dragons nostrils.

Blaise felt sentimental towards finding his twin sister and got his tattoo on his chest, over his heart. The image was the paw prints of a big cat was circling repeatedly around a blood red rose (her favorite flower). "You don't have to do this you know." Leo said to him as he sat down in the chair.

"I know I don't, but I want to. I don't think you realize how much it means to me that you are my sister. I always knew I had one and now that I finally found you... I got you back, it's important to me. And this is how I'm going to remember it." Blaise responded. Leo smiled at him and watched as he got his tattoo.

Leo then sat again for her piercings, having decided on an emerald belly button ring and diamond studs in her ears. Before Ben started she asked the boys, "Could you go to Gringotts for me while I get this done. I want to do some more shopping after this but I need to pull out some more money." They looked like they were about to argue until she fluttered her eyelashes and said, "Pretty please!?"

They rolled their eyes at her pouting face and relented. Once the boys where gone Leo turned to Ben and said, "I want it to be a surprise for them but I want to add something to my tattoo. I want the initials DLM and BAZ to be in the crest of the waves. Can you add it before they come back?"

Ben looked at her and smiled. "No problem." The tattoo was long done by the time the guys returned and so was her belly button piercing. Ben finished off her ear piercings and once they paid him and told him they maybe back for more, they left.

"So where did you want to go shopping?" Blaise asked. "Florish and Blots of course!" she answered. "Then after that we are going to the Owlrey and then Quality Quidditch. I think it's high time I learn how to fly properly, don't you?"

The trio spent the day out and about, never once noticing the curious emerald gaze following them from a window in Weasley Wizard Wheezes. The same eyes that Leo had been missing earlier that morning.

When they made it back to Zabini Manor it was almost dinner time. The went to their separate rooms to unload the days hall. Leo set the cage to her new owl, Athena, high on her bookshelf and her jet black FireBolt 3000, the newest and fastest model, in her closet.

Miny, who was waiting for Leo's return, announced, "Mistress' parents and the Malfoys are out of town for the night. Dinner is to be served when and where you please."

"Thank you Miny. Pop over and tell Blaise and Draco and tell them that we will have dinner in my room in 15 minutes." Leo answered from the closet.

After 15 minutes Leo, Blaise, Draco and Izzy, who was to be looked after by the three teens tonight, were all pilled in Leo's room having dinner. Leo just couldn't shake the feeling that Izzy was watching her for some reason, as if waiting for something. She also couldn't remember why Izzy looked so familiar or why every time she looked at the child she felt a slight calm come over her.

Leo had just taken a sip of her pumpkin juice when it finally hit her; she had known Izzy for years. Izzy was in almost every nightmare she had have over the course of the past two years. The small girl would stand by her side and tell her that it was just a dream, she would come to hold her hand and lead her away from the blackness that threatened to consume her every night. When the dreams got really tough, the child would use what power she had in the dream realm to change it for the better, bring someone to save Leo.

As this realization dawned on her she spit out what little juice she had sipped and stared wide eyed at Izzy. When the guys ask her what was wrong all she could do was shake her head. Izzy got up and walk to were Leo was sitting on the bed and asked, "Do you remember me now?"

That was Leo's undoing, "Yes!" she gasped, tears running down her face. She took Izzy up into a crushing hug, "I remember everything, all that you have done! But how, why?"

"Because you're not supposed to hurt, he said you're special." Izzy replied. Then a thought came to Leo's mined. The person that Izzy always sent to rescue Leo was Draco. Weather she was battling Death Eaters or Ron, the outcome was always the same. In the heroic rescues Draco swoops in and grabs Leo, with an arrogant smirk he whisks her away to tell her that she is safe as long as he is around. That she is his.

Leo smiles as she puts together the puzzle pieces. Her dreams now explain why she has felt comfort and protection around, and has had been slowly falling for, Draco these past two years.

"Umm...someone wanna clue us in?" Draco said, looking between is little sister and his crush. "What does she remember?"

"Izzy is one amazing witch Draco. She saves me from my nightmares almost every night for the past two years. This little one has a lot of power in mind magic." Leo said with a smile.

Draco and Blaise looked at each other then at Izzy. "How?" Draco asked her. She shrugged and said, "I just thought about her in my dreams, then I was in her's. They were scary so I made them better." Draco blinked at her answer. "How did you even know who she was? Why did you think of her?" he questioned. She looked at him like he was stupid, "You said she was special and pretty in her pink dress. I wanted to see her, if she special to you, she special to me." she huffed.

Draco's cheeks flamed a bright pink and he cast his eyes down. "Oh, I... um...yeah I forgot about that..." his voice trailed off. He had told Izzy that he was falling for a girl during Christmas break of his 4th year. He told her about how beautiful she looked at the ball and how she was vary special to him. "_Wow, I guess it stuck after all this time._" he thought. "_It's great she has been saving Leo, but I wish she hadn't say that I felt for her out loud!_"

"I'm special huh?" Leo asked with a smirk on her face. "Well that would explain why she always used you, Drake, as my Knight in Shinning Armor." she laughed. "She always had you save me from what ever was terrorizing me that night. I've been falling for you for ages because of it."

Draco's head snapped up at her confession. Blaise, who had been reclined on the couch sat up with interest. He knew that Draco liked Hermione and in consequence Leo but he never imagined that she would like him back. "You do!?" Draco said, his voice cracking a bit.

Leo got off the bed and walked over to Draco. "Would I have added your initials along with Blaise's to my tattoo if I didn't?" she asked, lowering her jean shorts a little to show off the initials crashing through the waves. Draco just stood there, mouth gaping, staring at the tattoo. Blaise took one look at his friend and started to laugh. He was honored that she added his initials to her tattoo, but the look on Draco's face was just to funny to ignore.

"And if that doesn't convince you... this might." she said, just before she wound her fingers through the hair on the nape of his neck, pulling him down as she raised on the balls of her feet to kiss him for all she was worth, which was quite a bit.

Draco was so stunned by what was going on that he almost forgot to kiss her back. He placed one hand on her hip to steady her and his other hand wound through her long black hair as he kissed her back. He couldn't have imagined how perfect her lips felt against his. She bit his lower lip and tugged on it, making him growl at her. Draco returned the favor, nibbling on her full lower lip until she opened up to him. He searched out her tongue with his own and tasted every inch of her mouth. They forgot that they had siblings in the room and the separated as they heard Blaise cough.

Leo and Drake looked at him to see him trying to hold his laughter in. Leo had the good grace to blush a bit with her smile, while Draco was all out grinning. "Now I'm happy that you two are together but lets keep the snogging to a minimal around family members, thanks." Blaise he laughed. "And Draco, best friends or not, you hurt her, your ass is mine. If she doesn't kill you first, that is."

Blaise wasn't the type of man to threaten people so when he did, he ment business, and Draco knew it. "Man you know that I would never hurt her. Like Izzy said, she is way to special to me, and now that I got her, there is no way in Hell I'm letting her go." He smiled down at her as they laced hands with one another. Izzy looked at Leo and ask, "Does this mean we're sisters now?" Laughing Leo said, "It just might kiddo, it just might."

Sitting back down to finish his dinner, Blaise said, "You know you never did show us your animagus form. All we know is that it is some type of feline."

Leo looked up from her dish with a gleam in her eye. "That's right." she laughed. "Do you want to see it now?" she asked. Seeing that everyone nodded in the affirmative she stood up and walked to the middle of the room. "Any guesses as to what I am?" she asked.

Draco took first shot, "Seeing as you were a Gryffandor at the time, I'm guessing lioness." he said.

Blaise said, "No, it can't be something so easy, my guess is a lynx." Leo smiled at the guesses laughing inside thinking, "_It figures that they wouldn't think anywhere near what I really am. They probably don't think I'm ferocious enough for it_."

Laughing Leo said, "Ok guys, you asked for it!" She then shifted onto all fours and starred at their shocked faces.

She prowled around and stretched. "_Merlin, I almost forgot how good it feels to be in this form!_" she thought. "_Ha! Their faces! Where is a camera when you need one?_" Leo went to the mirror and looked at her form. She saw small changes due to her glamour being dropped. Instead of the warm chocolate eyes she used to have, she was now looking at her new sapphire ones. Her dark brown fur that had small curls in it was now sleek and black as midnight, the same change as in her human form. Another change that she was immensely happy to see was that she no longer had bald spots where her scars had been, not even on her tail where Ron had taken to biting her while they where in their animagus forms.

She turned to see the three other people in the room staring at her still. Miny wasn't surprised due to Leo telling her ahead of time. She padded over to Draco's side and purred as he rubbed her head, saying the first words in the last five minutes...

"You're...you're a..."

* * *

**A/N: And it's a Cliffie! Let me know what you think she is! **


	9. Summer Surprises

**A/N: Well this is new! I started This chapter right away so I wouldn't run behind! I feel accomplished! (And the fact that this is a major accomplishment in my life right now has got to say wonders about me -_-) **

**As always; Enjoy! **

* * *

"You're a Black Panther! A fucking Black Panther! Holy Shit!" Draco exclaimed.

"Hey! Child in the room! Mommy says no swearing in front of me!" Izzy said, bringing Blaise and Draco back to reality. Leo walked over and licked Izzy's cheek, making the girl laugh as Draco said, "I'm sorry Iz, I forgot." Still laughing, she replied, "It's ok Drake, I won't tell Mommy."

Leo changed back into human form and collapsed on her bed laughing. "You should have seen your faces!" she exclaimed, trying to catch her breath, "They were priceless!"

"It's not everyday your sister turns into a big black cat!" Blaise said in his defense, which made Leo laugh even harder. "Actually," she said, "it is for you now that my scars are gone! I love lounging around and exercising in my form. Oh, and just a small tidbit, there is no cat species of Panther, panthers are really leopards or jaguars that don't have spots and are all black."

"Wow, ok. I can't wait for our parents to see this. They just might shit themselves!" Draco laughed shaking his head. "Well, I want a shower and it is a certain little girls bedtime. Come on Iz, lets go wash you up and get you to bed." With an adorable pout firmly planted on the young girls face she said goodnight to Blaise and Leo and headed to the door. Draco bent down and gave Leo a lingering kiss goodnight and nodded to Blaise leaving right behind Izzy.

"I think I'm going to have a shower too." Leo said. "But before you leave, I want to know if you really are ok with Draco and I." she asked Blaise. He looked at her surprised, but it soon turned into a charming smile. "I meant what I said before Leo. I knew that he liked you and I'm really happy that you two are together. I care for you both though and don't want to see either of you get hurt."

Leo smiled at her brother and nodded. "I won't hurt him, and I know he won't hurt me." He nodded and hugged her.  
"Night sis. I'll see you in the morning." and he was gone, too.

"Miny can you get out some night clothes for me? I also need you to get my tattoo cream out for after my shower." she said on her way to the bathroom.

After a refreshing shower Leo was in bed and on her way to her first night of sleep without dreams in longer than she care to remember.

* * *

Draco got out of the shower to find Blaise waiting for him. He knew that this was coming, but he honestly didn't know what to expect from his long time friend.

"Are you sure?" Blaise said, eyes burning into Draco's. "Are you absolutely sure that you want to do this, after everything she has been through. Are you sure your ready to be what she needs?"

He didn't even have to think about his answer. "Yes."

Blaise smiled and said, "I knew you would be. I just needed to make sure you did too. She has faith in you Draco, we both do. I can't be more happy that you two are together, you're the only one that I could think would even come close to being good enough for her." he laughed.

Draco laughed and sighed in relief. "_Well, at least I have the approval of the brother and I'm positive that our parents will be over the moon." _he thought._ "Hell, Mom and Maria will probably start planing the wedding as soon as they find out._"

Blaise left soon after and Draco crawled into bed and fell asleep dreaming of what the school year will be like with Leo at his side.

* * *

The summer passed quickly for the three teens, who hardly spent time away from each other. Leo taught Blaise and Draco about animagi. They caught on quickly and both found themselves roaming the grounds with Leo in there own forms. Draco being a Black Leopard (panther) like Leo, although he had faded spots where she had none, and Blaise became a black Jaguar (panther). The trio thought it amazing that although they were different in their own ways, each classified as a black panther.

Delighted with their new forms, the guys repaid Leo by teaching her how to fly and play Quidditch. She quickly got over her fear of heights and was flying circles around them in no time. They found that she had the perfect skills to be an amazing chaser and agreed that she was to try out for the Gryffindor team. They were upset that they wouldn't be able to hang out as much when they go back to Hogwarts due to being in different houses, but they understood that just because her name, appearance, and familial bonds changed it didn't mean her house would to.

Leo spent her summer days educating Blaise, Draco, Izzy and, surprisingly, their collective parents about muggle electronics. She told them about all the interesting things muggles came up with in place of having magic. She took them to movies, bought them TVs, taught them about the wonders of driving, and showed them all of the latest fashion. Draco and Blaise had already found the wonders of muggle clothes in their 5th year, but the older couples had yet to see the amazing possibilities outside the realm of wizard garb. Leo still thought it amazing that she could get Lucius Malfoy into a pair of slacks and a polo shirt.

She showed them how to use simple household products and found it amusing at how amazed they were at each new toy. It reminded her of Arthur Weasley and she couldn't help herself but laugh when she walked into the den to see Lucius and Draco struggling to play a video game called 'Halo' on the Xbox she bought for the family.

It was the August 20th and Leo was sunbathing by the pool while the guys were inside playing with the Xbox. She heard the fluttering of wings and looked up to see Athena swooping down to her with three Hogwarts letters in her beak. As soon as she caught them Leo ran to the den to hand them out.

"Guys! Look at what just came in!" she shouted as she sprinted through the door. They paused their play-through and took their respective letters from her. They opened their envelopes at once and took out their letters.

"Oh shit! I'm Head Boy!" Draco exclaimed at the same time as Leo screamed, "I'm Head Girl!" They looked at each other and laughed as Leo jumped into his arms for a hug and a congratulatory kiss. When Draco and Leo detached themselves Blaise swept Leo up for a hug of his own.

Once she was back on the ground she turned back to her letter. As she continued to read her smile disappeared. Seeing this the boys moved behind her to read as well.

"You're getting resorted?! Is that allowed?" Blaise asked.

"I'm not exactly sure, I've never heard it happening in Hogwarts; a History. Dumbledore said that I will have to come in sometime this week to be resorted if i don't want to do it in front of the whole school." she said, looking up at him. "He also says that it won't effect my Head Girl status, so we are both Heads even if I become a Slytherin." Leo said.

The door opened and their parents walked in along with Severus. "Before you ask," Severus said, "I just found this morning and as your close family friend I wish to congratulate the two, three seeing as Blaise is a prefect, of you. I knew that you would be in high ranking positions." Severus smiled and Leo couldn't help but laugh. "As Head of Slytherin, Miss Zabini, I wish to say that if you know what is good for you, you will be in my house this time next week!"

"Wow Sev, you really know how to lay it on thick don't you?" she asked sarcastically as she gave him his customary hug.

"Hush you." was all he said in return. "You do realize, Kitten, that I actually have a fighting chance to get the 'Brightest Witch of the Age' into Slytherin. Right where she belongs." he said. Leo just laughed. Then her eyes got a special shine in them that Severus knew to be trouble. "What are you planning Kitten?" he asked, eyes narrowing.

Leo smiled at him and he felt her occlumency wall slamming up. She spun to the other adults in the room and said, "I think now is as good a time as any to reveal my animagus form to you." She looked back at Draco and Blaise, who, too, had mischievous looks in their eyes, and nodded to them. When they had nodded back she transformed.

Both sets of parents gasped as where the young woman they had come to love once stood, was a jet black panther. The large cat stretched, looked up at Severus and winked. He couldn't help but laugh at her antics, but when she rounded on Draco he stopped abruptly. She slowly circled around Draco as if he were her pray. Before Severus could do anything to stop her she pounced Draco with her own catlike roar.

He heard the screams of the women behind him as two bodies fell to the ground, only neither was human. _"Draco is an animagus too?! When the fuck did this happen?_" Severus thought. Once he got past his shock he looked at what he was. "_Another Leopard panther, imagine that._" He couldn't help but laugh at how the two pounced on each other like that were kittens instead of large grown cats.

Once they had effectively pinned each other a couple times, they faced Blaise, who was laughing as well. He crouched down and moved in circles as they did and just as they lunged at him he jumped over them, transforming mid-air. Severus could hear the chuckles behind him from the amused parents and couldn't help but wonder how the teens kept this from them. Blaise's form didn't surprise Severus, who was expecting another type of big cat, but what surprised him was that he was a black panther as well, even if from the Jaguar side of the family.

From the exclamations behind him, he wasn't the only one who found this fact delightfully odd, yet fitting. He couldn't wait to see what mischief these three will come up with for their last year of school. He had a couple surprises for them along the way as well.

* * *

It was three days after she had revived her Hogwarts letter and she was now waiting outside Dumbledore's office for Severus. He was to escort her up where she is to be resorted in front of the Heads of Houses. Leo was torn, she used to be a die hard Gryffindor but there was something inside her that told her she should be a Slytherin. She knew from Harry's experience with the hat that the final decision was up to her, but she didn't know where to go.

She heard footsteps behind her and whorled around, wand at the ready, to see who it was. She still felt weary of the school after what took place there just a few months earlier. Severus stopped short at the sight of her wand and said, "It's just me Kitten. I'm sorry I'm late, I was brewing some of the potions the hospital wing needs for new term."

Leo took a breath and tucked her wand back in it's arm sheath. "I'm sorry Sev, I'm still a bit jumpy. There are to many bad memories in these halls." she sighed. "Although there are quite a few good ones to. Come on, lets just get this over with. The guys are taking me out for ice cream after this."

With a wave of his wand the gargoyle jumped aside, reveling the stairs to Dumbledore's office. She remember when Dumbledore came out of hiding during the final battle. He distracted Voldemort long enough for Neville to kill Nagini and Harry to land the final blow to Voldemort. Afterwards he reviled that his death was staged to make Voldemort more trusting of Severus and think he had a fighting chance.

As they ascended the steps she grew more and more worried. "_Has he told them who I was, do any of them know what happened to me?_" She was about to voice her worries but the door above them swung open to revile a smiling Dumbledore. Leo knew that Severus had told the old man not to say anything by the look on Dumbledore's face and she breathed a sigh of relief.

"Please come in Miss. Zabini. Thank you for coming to us on such short notice." he winked at her and she just couldn't help but smile. She looked around the room to see her teachers and was thankful that they were all alive. She trusted each of them with her life, and it was then that she decided that they should know the truth.

Smiling she said, "Hello Professors, it's great to see you again. I realize this might be confusing to you and I apologize. I myself have a hard time wrapping my brain around the situation, and once you know more you will come to realize why that statement wounded my ego." Severus barked a laugh surprising all but Dumbledore, as he was to busy laughing himself.

"Excuse me, but just who are you? We have already have a Zabini child here that is your age, yet you are knew. Care to explain?" McGonagall's harsh Scottish voice broke through the laughter.

"Of course. You do have a Zabini here, Blaise Zabini, my twin brother. What none of us knew, save the old coot to your right, was that there were in fact two Zabini children here." Everyone looked at Dumbledore, who's blue eyes were at full twinkle, for confirmation. He simply nodded and motioned for her to continue.

"This second Zabini child is me. I was here under a different name and had no knowledge of my true identity until this past June. I have been taught by each of you for the past six plus years. I took a leave of absence last year due to my contributions in the war. Tell me Minerva, have you heard from a certain young Gryffindor girl that normally writes to you every summer." Leo asked. She saw confusion on her second favorite professor's face and decided another way might help.

"The glamour that was put on me at birth hid the features you see now and some of my personality trates that tie my to my real family, but they did not hide my voice. Shall I give you another hint? How about this," she cleared her throat and thought of Harry not doing his homework. "Harry James Potter! How dare you not do your homework and expect me to let you copy mine!" she smiled as recognition dawned on all three faces at the same time. "Ah, I see that you all recognize my voice. Can you put a name to it Minerva?"

"Hermione? Oh, Dear is that really you?" Minerva asked. When Leo nodded in the affirmative the older woman started to cry. She grabbed Leo in a vary tight hug and said, "Oh dear child! I was worried about you. I had a sinking suspicion that something was going on when I received no answer to my letters."

"I'm sorry Minerva, I have moved into Zabini Manor and have taken the name I was born with. I'm now Leonada Maria Zabini, but I go by Leo. So much has happened, things that I have hidden from all of you for the past two years." Leo pulled away. She felt like she couldn't breathe.

She turned away from the others and into Severus, who hugged her as she tried to gain control over her emotions. "I can't do it Sev. The words won't come out. They will see me differently, they will pity me. I can't take it if they pity me." she looked up at him, tears in her eyes. "You tell them, I can't." and she hid her face back into his chest.

Severus looked to Dumbledore, who was told of the situation. He nodded and Severus took a breath, then pulled back to look Leo in the face. "I'll tell them Kitten, but you need to face this. Remember your motto, Refuse to Sink. Fuck sinking Kitten, now is the time you need to start swimming."

She smiled at the reminder and nodded. "You give them the jest of it, I'll answer the questions. Deal?" she asked. He smiled at her and nodded. Straightening up he looked at the confused faces of his colleges and wished beyond any hope and dream that the words he was about to say were anything but true.

"As you all know Leo was in a relationship with Ronald Weasley while she was Hermione Granger." They all nodded, "Well he turned out to be an abusive partner and repeatedly beat and raped Leo over the course of the past two years. Each time he would threaten to kill her if she told anyone about the abuse. Which is why you are only fining out now."

Leo took a deep breathe and steeled herself for the sad looks of pity she just knew she would get, only to turn around and find faces burning with shock and fury. Most noticeably Minerva's. "How dare that despicable fucking shitfaced asshole! There is no excuse for being that horrible. I knew that there was something fucked up about that boy but I never imagined that he would do this! That miserable fucktard will pay for this, I promise it! I'll kill him" she raved and all Leo could do was stand there and stair, as did most of the others in the office. As mad as they have all seen Minerva McGonagall, this was the worst.

"Now, now, Minerva, we can't just kill the boy. We unfortunately have to follow the law and turn him in." Dumbledore said, trying to placate her. Seeing that everyone in the room was about to say something he raised his and hand and said, "But, that doesn't mean we can't torture him for a little bit before we do turn him in." this shut everyone up.

"Now, before we plan anything further, we must know what house Miss. Zabini will be sorted into. Leo, if you please." He said gesturing to a chair in front of his desk. Once she sat down he placed the old sorting hat on her head.

"**_So, you found out your true identity at last have you?_**" the hat whispered in her ear. "**_Well, you are a right mix of things aren't you. Still have the bravery of a lion, the loyalty of a badger, the brain of a raven, and the cunning of a snake. But, my dear, it is the heart that counts, and while you will always have a place in Gryffindor, it is time you follow where your heart lies now._**" At that point she new exactly where she was to go, even before the hat said it.

"**Slytherin!**" the hat declared.

Leo jumped up with glee, almost tackling Severus to the ground when she hugged him. "I'm so proud to have you home Kitten! Now instead of being Gryffindor's Princess, you will be Slytherin's Princess." He said with a huge smile on his face that shocked all in the room.

When Leo let go of him she turned to her former head of house and said, "I'm sorry Minerva, but Slytherin is my home. Always has been, I'm just returning now." she hugged the older woman. "Look on the bright side, I will always be a feline." Leo winked at Minerva's confused face and transformed into her panther form.

Shouting with surprise, Minerva jumped back. Then after catching her breath she gave a hearty laugh. "Feline you may be but you know as well as I that you more closely resemble your true Head of House in this form then you do mine. Just will that little stunt you showed everyone how Slytherin you really are." she nodded for Leo to turn and when she did she saw Severus in his black panther Jaguar form. The only difference between him and Blaise was that he was taller, longer and had a wider head thin him.

Growling she leaped at him, taking him to the ground and bouncing back up. She bumped his head with hers and then bit his ear. He swiped at her but she had backed away. She transformed back into her human form, looked at his glowering eyes and said, "That is what you get for ruining my attempt to make Minerva feel better. Now, you can lick your wounds later, we got revenge to plan!"

Everyone laughed as Severus growled at her and turn back into is normal form. Her appearance may have changed but she was still a swotty know-it-all at heart.

Once Severus transformed he rubbed his bleeding ear saying, "No wonder Blaise and Draco keep asking me for more scar cream. You, my dear Kitten, play rough. I truly believe there is no better place for you at Hogwarts, then Slytherin." Leo just winked at him and smiled.

Dumbledore coughed slightly to get everyone's attention. "Now, for our plan, I say we see what the Slytherins have been cooking up for him in the defense of their new found Princess. The Gryffindors can have their turn to deal with their own, then the teachers and staff can get him next. After all of Hogwarts has had their fill we can see how his Mother feels about his long term abuse of the girl she saw as a second daughter. When she is done with him, if there is anything left of that, and the family has gotten there share of revenge, we officially press charges through the Ministry." Dumbledore said, eyes at full twinkle.

Everyone laughed and was in agreement. They looked to Leo to make sure that the plan was ok with her. "Draco, Blaise and I get first dibs, then I want to see how Harry and Ginny react to the truth. If they take action, your plan goes after them, if not then you can have him after us. Agreed?"

Surprised that she wanted Harry and Ginny involved, they all nodded. "Good, now if you'll excuse me, I have an ice cream calling my name." And with a dazzling smile and a wave of her hand Leo was out the door and down the stairs before anyone could ask her to stay.

* * *

**A/N: The Black Panther situation might be a little confusing. I wanted them all to be dark colored big cats but their aren't that many. There technically isn't a species of Black Panther. Any leopard or jaguar that is black (faded spots or not) is called a Black Panther. **

**Draco and Leo are Leopards (_Leo_pards _Leo_, ;) get it?) While Severus and Blaise are Jaguars, each look different in their own way but they are all big black cats. **

**Hermione was the apple of everyone's eye(bar most Slytherins), so when people realize Leo is Hermione she will become the apple of everyone's eye again. This time including the Slytherins. That is why everyone wants to beat the shit out of Ron as their own personal revenge. **


End file.
